


Get Here #2

by Wolfstar4evr



Series: Supernatural Oneshots [29]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Absent John Winchester, Awesome Dean Winchester, Best Big Brother Dean, Brotherly Love, But also, Caring John Winchester, Cute Sam, Dean Winchester Takes Care of Sam Winchester, John Winchester's A+ Parenting, Sam Winchester's Birthday, Sam gets a lot of books, Trying John Winchester, not proof read, short and sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-13
Packaged: 2019-06-27 02:39:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15676344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wolfstar4evr/pseuds/Wolfstar4evr
Summary: Dean does his best to make this the best birthday he possibly can for Sam, no matter how little time he has to pull as many surprises together as possible. It becomes especially urgent when he realises he has to distract Sam from the high possibility that their Dad isn't coming back today.Instead Dean finds himself the most surprised out of anyone, and the day turns out much better than he expected.Part 2/2





	Get Here #2

“Hey kiddo,” Dean greets as he meets Sam outside school with a smile and another croissant. “Did you have a good day?”

Sam shrugs, but his smile gives away his glee. “The class sang happy birthday to me, and a couple of them gave me a card.” Dean grins back, ruffling his brother’s hair. They haven’t been here nearly long enough to warrant Sam getting anything from any of his classmates, so it’s nice to know he’s going to school with nice kids.

“Come on,” He says, turning in the direction of the bookstore. Sammy gives him a questioning look but follows nonetheless. When they reach the bookstore, Sam gives him a surprised grin, going in straight away.

“Hey Dean,” Jack says from behind the counter, then looking over his glasses at Sam. “You must be Sam,” He says gently. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you,” Sam replies shyly, pressing himself into Dean’s side. Dean’s grins and puts an arm around him and squeezes his shoulders.

Jack simply smiles gently. “Your brother here has been helping me out – for free – during all his lunch breaks and free periods, so in return for his help you can choose twelve books.”

Both Sam and Dean’s jaws drop. “ _Twelve?_ ” Sam asks, astonished, mirroring Dean’s thoughts exactly. The younger Winchester turns to his brother. “Dean,” He whispers urgently. “I’ve never had that many books in my life! Won’t Dad be mad?”

The mention of their father breaks Dean out of his thoughts. Screw what Dad thinks, he couldn’t even be bothered to show up. He doesn’t say that though. “Just don’t pick too many hardbacks.” Sam almost lets out a squeal, and suddenly hugs his brother hard around his middle. He then surprises both Dean and Jack by rounding the desk and hugging Jack too before running off into the shelves. Dean smiles after him and shoves his hands into his jacket pockets as he approaches the desk.

“Jack,” He says, worriedly. “We only agreed four or five. I’m grateful, I am, and I know he is too, but I just didn’t do enough work to warrant this.”

Jack gives Dean a parental look – a look Bobby used to give him often when he thought Dean was being particularly hard headed or stupid. “Dean, if I had been able to pay you for the work you did you would have been able to buy probably thirty books from here. Besides, he’s twelve, so he deserves twelve books, especially if what he said was true and he has never had that many books in his life.”

Dean gives another grateful smile, walking around the desk and settling in the second chair next to Jack’s. The old man gives him a quizzical look. “Sam’s gonna be a while,” He explains, and the man lets out a chuckle before turning back to his books.

Almost an hour later, Sam emerges with a stack of books higher than his head. He goes to put them on the desk, but Dean makes Sam hand them to him first by making grabby hands at him. The four fantasy books look exactly like something Sammy would pick, but he’s disappointed to find that the other eight are in some way related to the supernatural or lore. He sighs. “Sam, do you really want these?” He asks, watching as Sam bites his lip uncertainly. “Don’t pick these because you’re worried about what Dad would want, okay? It’s _your_ birthday. Pick what _you_ want to read.”

“I like reading lore,” Sam argues, but he still doesn’t look or sound too sure about what he’s saying. “And I don’t really have much time to read anything else.” Translation: Dad doesn’t allow him to.

“I’ll make sure you get some time,” Dean says softly, handing the lore books back to his brother. “Put them back. Choose something you’d actually like to read. Something normal.”

“Okay,” Sam concedes, taking the stack off his brother, but then he slips a thick hardback from the middle of the pack. “I really would like to read this one,” He says softly, passing the book to Dean. Dean gives it an approving nod, finding it entitled _The Beginning of Werewolves and Other Creature Origins._ “It’s all about the urban legends, which probably aren’t true but it’s still interesting.”

“I agree,” Dean says, adding the book to the small pile of fantasy books on the desk. “Werewolves are cool.” Sam gives him a grin before disappearing back into the shelves.

Jack gives Dean a suspicious look. “Your daddy into monsters or something? He asks.

Dean shifts in the chair uncomfortably. He hadn’t really thought of Jack’s reaction when he talked about their father to Sammy. “Something like that,” He mutters, glad when Jack doesn’t ask anything else, simply raises his eyebrows and looks back down at the notebooks covering the desk.

After another forty five minutes Sam comes back with seven considerably smaller books. Dean looks through them approvingly, finding them all to be either sci-fi or fantasy. “I thought you’d like to read them too,” Sam says, rushing to explain himself when he sees Dean is ready to argue. “Not that I don’t want to read them, but you don’t exactly get stuff like this either Dean, so it’s only fair that I get books we’d both like so we can share.”

Dean wants to argue the point that this is _Sam’s_ gift, but the kid is so passionate about it, and when he looks to his side at Jack he finds the man giving him a stern look, so he thanks his brother with a smile. Sam grins right back, wider than he has smiled all day.

After Sam’s books have been placed carefully in three separate paper bags, the boys are on their way. Sam gives Jack another surprise hugs and thanks him profusely, to which the old man smiles gratefully. Dean holds out his hand for a handshake but finds himself pulled into a hug instead. “In case I don’t see you again,” Jack says. “Look after yourself.”

“Thank you,” Dean says, more sincerely than he’s meant anything before, unless he said it to Sammy. Jack has done more for them than the old man could ever know.

As they walk back to the motel, Dean carrying two bags while Sam carries one, Dean tries to walk as slowly as he can to put off the disappointment of getting home and finding out Dad isn’t there. As they finally approach the street it’s on Dean resorts to distracting, bumping his brother’s shoulder. “How about instead of a diner we order in from that Chinese place down the street?” He suggests. “I know you wanted to try it.”

Sam’s face brightens; he was obviously thinking the same thing as Dean: is Dad back? “Shrimp fried rice?” He says, causing Dean to laugh. It’s probably the only thing fried that Sam still eats.

“Shrimp fried rice,” Dean agrees, just as they round the corner to the motel and find the Impala gleaming in the parking lot.

“Dad’s back!” Sam shrieks, racing across the lot to their room. Dean follows at a slightly more sedate pace, shaking with his own trepidation. Hopefully Dad will wait until Sammy is at school, or at least asleep, before he tears him a new one for that phone call.

When Dean finally enters their motel room Sam has already put his books down and is swept up into Dad’s arms. Dad looks tired, but at least he’s smiling as he gives his youngest a hug and says ‘happy birthday Sammy’ into his hair. Dean smiles at the scene, placing his bags onto the table next to Sammy’s.

“Hey Dean,” Dad says, giving his oldest son a smile. Dean can’t help how tense the smile he gives back is, and Dad seems to notice.

As Sam excitedly pulls all the books out of their bags, Dean finds himself pulled into a hug by their Dad. “You were right,” He murmurs, shocking his son into complete silence. He chuckles at Dean’s face. “You were right,” He repeats. “You two should be… you two _are_ my priority. When you called me like that I knew it was not only important to Sam but you as well. So thank you; I’m really glad I’m here.”

Dean just nods, unsure what to do with this rare tender moment from his Dad. Luckily, Sam breaks it, coming up to them with a book in his hand. “We’re gonna order chinese,” Sam says excitedly to their father, who gives a grin back and ruffles his hair. “Dean this book is for you,” Sam says suddenly, holding the book out to his brother. Dean is about to argue – again – about them being Sam’s birthday presents, but he notices it’s not one of the ones Sam chose, it’s a book on physics and engineering he was looking at during his time working there. He opens the cover, and finds a passage written into the front page: _Dear Dean. You’ve been a big help to me over the past few weeks, and I know 12 books won’t nearly cover the reward you deserve for that, but hopefully it’s a start. I saw you looking at this a few times, and if it’s something you’re interested in you deserve to pursue it. You’re a good kid, Dean. I wish you the best in life, truly, you and your brother both._

When Dean looks up Sam is excitedly showing Dad his new urban legends book, with Dad laughing, and blessedly asking him to show him his other books too. Sam does so gladly, and Dean presses his book to his chest, beyond glad that Sam is so happy, and that their Dad is here. This birthday did turn out to be his brother’s best birthday yet, and not just for Sam.


End file.
